general

Francine Rivers' "Mark of the Lion" series is unquestionably one of the most profoundly moving works of fiction you will ever read. I can personally vouch that everything said by reviewers here about the powerful impact of these books is absolutely true. I first read "The Mark of the Lion" series five years ago and no novel I read previously or since has even come close to topping it. The stories and characters are so realistic they grip your soul and become a part of your life.

The central thread of the plot surrounds the life of a young Jewish Christian slave girl named Hadassah. Small and thin, plain and homely, she is not your typical romance novel heroine. After witnessing the death of her entire family in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., she is enslaved and sent to Rome where she is sold to the wealthy Valerian family. As Hadassah adjusts to life the Valerian household, she comes to truly love and care for them: Decimus, the world-weary father; Phoebe, his gentle and somewhat naive wife; Marcus, their son, whose sole aim in life is the pursuit of pleasure; and Julia, the high-strung daughter who is Hadassah's special charge. Hadassah sees the emptiness in the Valerians' lives and longs for them to know the peace and fulfillment they can find in Christ. But her attempts at sharing her faith are hampered by fear for her life if anyone should discover that she is a Christian. Further complications arise when Marcus starts to get intereted in Hadassah without quite knowing why. She is completely different from any other woman he has ever known: she is pure both in body and spirit, she seems to posses an inner peace and contentment he has never felt, and she serves his selfish, rebellious sister Julia with a selfless devotion that Marcus cannot understand. Hadassah comes to love Marcus as well, but she knows that they can never be together as long as he is an unbeliever. Interwoven throughout the Hadassah narrative is the story of Atretes, a young German warrior captured by the Romans and forced to fight as a gladiator. Atretes' life becomes wholly driven by his hate and anger at the Romans for the way they treat him. Ultimately, he too comes in contact with Hadassah and her faith. The way the threads of these various plot lines evolve and entwine is nothing short of stunning. Every twist and turn is perfectly logical, perfectly natural, and completely plausible, leading to the inevitable conclusion you instinctively knew was coming. As has been previously mentioned, make absolutely certain that after finishing the first volume, "A Voice in the Wind," you have a copy of the second book, "An Echo in the Darkness," readily available. The cliffhanger ending of "A Voice in the Wind" is such that you are liable to break your legs or wreck your car trying to get to the nearest bookstore for the sequel.

These books are a powerful Christian witness and offer much insightful and sobering commentary on human nature and life in general. The setting in decadent Ancient Rome forms a surprising (and frightening) parallel to modern day America. Such modern issues as abortion and homosexuality were prevalent even then, and are addressed in the books. Some have commented that the character of Hadassah was too sappy-sweet and goody-goody to be believable, but I strongly disagree. Hadassah's honest fears and struggles make her completely human, yet she also has such love for the Lord and others as to truly inspire you to better things. Such remarkable characterization is what makes the "Mark of the Lion" series so compelling. Ms. Rivers' psychology runs deep, turning your heart inside out to reveal things you were unaware of or had forgotten. I am typically not a very emotional person, but these books had me in tears frequently. As the story unfolds and God's faithfulness is so poignantly portrayed, you will be brought to your knees in thanksgiving and praise to the Almighty God we serve. The awesome impact that one Godly person can have, and that person herself a shy, frightened slave girl, was a huge encouragement to my faith. The books provide an excellent example of being in the world without being of it. But neither Hadassah nor any other character is glorified as the "hero," for Ms. Rivers points all the glory to Jesus Christ. He alone is the Voice in the wind, the Echo in the darkness, and the One whose faithfulness is as sure as the dawn.

I had totally given up on reading after reading some pretty bad books, and then my sister pushed me to read this series. I was hesitant at first, but i tried it out. After reading the first couple of chapters of the 1st book, i couldn't put it down. I stayed up half the night reading it (and failed a quiz the next day because of lack of sleep) and read it the whole next day at school--between classes, during free time, and even while the teacher was talking. I simply couldn't put it down. Hadassah and Marcus's story is so wonderful, and I cried more than i ever have in my entire life while reading it. When i finished the first book, i immediately wanted to start reading the second (trust me, you will too)--but my sister had lent it out to someone!!! I was in anguish until i finally got my hands on it and read it. (I cried in this one too!!) The first two books totally changed my outlook on life--and they impacted my faith. I just got finished reading the third book, and it is fantastic too! Trust me, you will LOVE this series! My words will never be enough to desribe the impact these books had on my life, and can have on yours too. Francine Rivers is truly an amazing tool for God.

This book series is one that takes the era (approx A.D. 70) and makes it jump to life! It takes the scriptures and brings a dimension that I'd never seen. This book is an absolute page turner! I loved every minute of it. Way to go, Francine! I am your newest fan.